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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1993

MANUFACTURER FINED FOR ILLEGAL CANDLE TRANSHIPMENT

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A CANDLE MANUFACTURER WAS FINED $270,000 AT TUEN MUN MAGISTRACY YESTERDAY (MONDAY) FOR ILLEGALLY TRANSHIPPING $980,000 WORTH OF CANDLES.

THE DEFENDANT, TSOI WAN-WAH, OWNER OF NO. 1 CHEMICAL (CANDLE) MANUFACTORY, PLEADED GUILTY TO THREE SUMMONSES OF GIVING FALSE INFORMATION IN APPLICATIONS FOR CERTIFICATES OF HONG KONG ORIGIN AND TWO SUMMONSES OF EXPORTING GOODS BEARING A FALSE TRADE DESCRIPTION.

THE GOODS INVOLVED WERE 942,000 PIECES OF CANDLES FOR EXPORT TO THE USA.

THE COURT HEARD THAT ACTING ON INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY THE U.S. CUSTOMS, HONG KONG CUSTOMS OFFICERS CONDUCTED THE INVESTIGATION AND REVEALED THAT BETWEEN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR, THE DEFENDANT'S COMPANY HAS EXPORTED TO THE USA TWO SHIPMENTS OF CHINA-ORIGIN CANDLES BEARING A FALSE "MADE IN HONG KONG" LABEL UNDER THREE CERTIFICATES OF HONG KONG ORIGIN.

THE SHIPMENTS WERE SEIZED BY THE U.S. CUSTOMS UPON ARRIVAL.

A CUSTOMS SPOKESMAN SAID THE OFFENCES WERE SERIOUS.

"THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT WOULD STEP UP THEIR ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS TO CRACK DOWN ILLEGAL TRANSHIPMENTS SO THAT THE CONFIDENCE OF ITS TRADING PARTNERS IN HONG KONG'S CERTIFICATION CONTROL SYSTEM WOULD NOT BE UNDERMINED BY SOME DISHONEST BUSINESSMEN, HE SAID.

HE ADDED THAT THE MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR ILLEGAL TRANSHIPMENT IS A FINE OF $500,000 AND TWO YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT ON EACH COUNT "OF THE CERTIFICATION OFFENCE.

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COURT OF APPEAL JUDGE APPOINTED

APPEAL

THE HON MR JUSTICE GODFREY HAS BEEN APPOINTED A JUSTICE OF

WITH EFFECT FROM TODAY (TUESDAY).

MR JUSTICE GODFREY WAS BORN IN ENGLAND ON JULY 30, 1933. HE WAS CALLED TO THE BAR BY THE HONOURABLE SOCIETY OF LINCOLN'S INN IN 1954 AND IN 1978 WAS ELECTED A BENCHER OF THE INN. IN 1971, HE WAS APPOINTED QUEEN COUNSEL.

FROM 1956 TO 1986, MR JUSTICE GODFREY WAS IN THE CHANCERY BAR. HE WAS APPOINTED A JUDGE OF THE

AT 1986.

PRIVATE PRACTICE HIGH COURT IN

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